


Snakes and Ladders

by EchoInTheVoid



Series: Balance and Chaos Universe [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Cat main Character, Dehumanisation, Familiars, First person and Third Person, Magical Realism, Past Abuse, Song Lyrics used, Spike (BtVS) Cameo, brief descriptions of torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2019-12-24
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:36:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,856
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21934597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EchoInTheVoid/pseuds/EchoInTheVoid
Summary: In this game of snakes a ladders, the stakes are high, causing her downfall or granting her eternal happiness. No one knows what the next roll of the dice will bring.The silver feline was stalking a rat in the alleyway. The cat lunges as the rat startles at the sound. However, from the ribs clearly visible through the black spotted fur, it isn’t the first to escape. It sits up, growling as it curses whoever scared the first meal it has seen in days. As the feline plots where to search next, the sounds of a struggle echoes through the alleyway in the direction of the door slam and the malignant bond binding it to its master starts burning in its chest. Immediately, the feline prepares to flee from the sadistic force; however, before it can escape, a feline alarm sounds and what little conscience it has tugs in its chest. Hissing and kneading the ground as it decides whether or not to investigate the sources of the struggles, eventually curiosity and its small conscience quickly overcome its survival instinct. With a final sigh, the frail body turns in the direction of the sound, resignation overwhelming the feline as it accepts its fate.
Relationships: Ira & William Pratt & Jashik Triggs, Jashik Triggs & William Pratt
Series: Balance and Chaos Universe [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1579543





	Snakes and Ladders

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally a assignment for my creative writing class hence why there will eventually be two versions out because I had to cut it down to fit the word limit.
> 
> I had a summery written but it was left at school so this one kinda sucks. Please bare with me. I hope you enjoy.

** Ira **

A door slamming disturbs the quiet broken only by rain on roofs. The affluent neighbourhood is filled with soundproofed houses so the only one to hear is the silver feline stalking a rat in the alleyway. The cat lunges as the rat startles at the sound. However, from the ribs clearly visible through the black spotted fur, it isn’t the first to escape. It sits up, growling as it curses whoever scared the first meal it has seen in days. As the feline plots where to search next, the sounds of a struggle echoes through the alleyway in the direction of the door slam and the malignant bond binding it to its master starts burning in its chest. Immediately, the feline prepares to flee from the sadistic force; however, before it can escape, a feline alarm sounds and what little conscience it has tugs in its chest. Hissing and kneading the ground as it decides whether or not to investigate the sources of the struggles, eventually curiosity and its small conscience quickly overcome its survival instinct. With a final sigh, the frail body turns in the direction of the sound, resignation overwhelming the feline as it accepts its fate.

Stalking around the corner, the shadows from the street lights hide its vibrant silver fur. The hunter carefully searches for anything else out of place. Five houses down, cages are being placed in the back of an SUV and the door slams again as the sadist closes the boot. The feline slowly creeps forward to catch the number plate of the car. The magic of the soundproofing wards, that restrict sound from reaching the houses, glides over its fur as they absorb the sound. There’s a strong pulse of magic and a flash of naked flesh visible through the dark tinting of the SUV’s rear window as a familiar bond snaps into place. The kittens newly bonded to their master, make no attempt at escape, their new human forms foreign to them. Barely visible are cats’ ears on a young familiar’s head. Although the colour is impossible to determine through the tinting, they are without a doubt grey. After the silver feline’s escape, it seems the witch is desperate to replace it with an equally strong familiar, and from the weak aura emitting from them, even those two aren’t enough. Staying in the shadows, the feline tries to glimpse the witch as she looks now. It has been year a since the feline escaped, a lot could have changed. Careful to get no closer than twelve metres, hoping the bonds of the new familiars would overshadow the burning of its bond to its master strained to the limit by distance and lack of contact between the two. The feline peeks at the driver’s side mirror, memorising the face of the witch, freezing as their eyes meet. Despite the humidity and warm rain, the feline feels frozen. Only the sound of the door opening shocks it out of its fear and it flees, hightailing it through  the streets it knows by heart. 

* * *

** Jashik **

I’m sitting cross legged on my desk meditating when my partner bursts into my office. Sighing internally, I wonder what has excited Pratt this time. Born in London, the culture of Launceston simultaneously bores him to death and excites him in the weirdest of ways. Humans never really came to Tassie simply because it’s so small, but the vaya love it. There isn’t a lot of interference from the humans and with Tasmania being the ruling family’s home and a major magical conduit, they could live freely.

‘What now?’ 

‘A familiar came screaming in here, drenched from the rain, yowling up a storm.’

As we turn the corner into the employee’s lounge, the feline who had been previously running around like a chicken with its head cut off, sprints over to me as I crouch down.

‘Hey beautiful, what are you doing in the precinct?’ I ask them softly. Now that the feline is close, the unmistakable aura of a familiar is evident.

‘What’s a silver African cat doing in Tasmania without her witch? We haven’t received any missing person’s reports?’ 

Pratt’s right, it is unusual. Vashic, or free familiars with abnormal colouring, are always stronger. While familiar bonds are frowned upon, they’re not uncommon. A companion bond that forms naturally requires absolute trust, something that is hard to come by, so most just force a familiar bond. They are a witch’s connection to magic, so not reporting one missing is strange. If the familiar’s reaction to the mention of her witch is anything to go by, it’s probably a forced bond. There are still laws in place that witches must treat their familiars like any other employee; however, there are some that use the bond to abuse their power over their familiars and treat them as little more than tools. 

‘Can you get one of the  vashic laptops, Pratt? Maybe she can tell us why she’s here.’ 

Pratt nods and heads to fetch a laptop designed for  vashic in animal form. When a  vashic is bonded to a witch, they can shift to a humanoid form, but most don’t feel comfortable doing so around strangers. It’s seen as something private among partners, and very foreign to familiars who are bonded unwillingly.

**Ira**

The fiery haired officer is crouched with his hand out in front of the feline who looks at it  cautiously. That’s how humans approach it, occasionally they’re nice and give it some food, but most of the time they mistake it for a regular cat and take it to that horrible smelling place with cages and loud dogs. The feline started hiding from humans after the second time it was trapped in a cage. With no response, the officer withdraws his hand and sits cross-legged, closing his eyes, meditating as the soft flow of magic emanates from him. The feline has never felt such soft magic before. The sadist always felt like badly written heavy metal music, a cacophony of noise that gave it a headache in seconds. The soundproofing wards felt like an electric fence, safe from a distance, but touch it and get zapped. Unwillingly, the feline inches closer to the cool, inviting magic. A feeling of calm washes over it for the first time in its life. Idly, the feline wonders what sort of music the officer would sound like if they bonded.  _ No, don’t think of that. He’s a good person who doesn’t deserve such a damaged and useless toy. He deserves more than a disobedient cast off. _ The feline shakes its head roughly, erasing that thought from its head.

** Jashik **

As I meditate, I can feel the longing, warring with the pain and distrust in the feline, triggering my protective instincts. My strong empathy, combined with my lonely upbringing in the foster system, means I tend to adopt strays, evident by my partner William Pratt. A snarky, soft touch British vaya with minimal magical power, he can’t really influence the environment, but he is street smart, cunning and excellent at reacting to a situation accordingly. We’ve been ridiculed many times for our magical capabilities and willingness to think outside the rules to save people, but the higher ups can’t deny that we have the highest success rate in Australia. 

I’m brought out of my musing by the Brit as he gracefully sits down, placing the laptop with slightly larger keys in front of the familiar, already open to a word document. 

‘Took you long enough. Honestly though, humans are supposed to be smart.’ The feline types sarcastically. Pratt raises he eyebrow,

‘Other than commenting on our intelligence, what is it you came to the SPD for?’

‘Reporting a crime, obviously. Why else would someone go to the police? You would think poms would have at least base level intelligence, what with a renowned college being stationed there and all.’

I can see this going nowhere and step in before they devolve into childish retorts.

‘What crime would that be?’ 

‘A witch forcibly bonded and captured two kittens approximately four hours ago, from a house in Alanvale, stowing them in the back of an SUV with the licence plate D66FA. She is 5’6’’ with curly, brown hair, fair skin, brown eyes, and she’s been divorced three times. Power-level 12, one of her abilities is mind control. That’s all the information acquired.’ She reports. 

That’s not good, level 12 is close to the strongest a mortal vaya could get.

** Ira **

Hopefully, they will track down the sadist and save the kittens. Even if there’s no hope for it, the feline won’t let the witch claim more victims just because it has delusions of freedom. It’s finally seeing that not everyone wants to hurt it. It has lived its life. Hopefully the bond withdrawal will kill it before they catch up with the witch. It dreads what could happen if the obedience spell activates while the witch tries to escape, the burning reminding it that freedom is simply an illusion.  It has no control and never knows when the next roll of the dice will slide it down the snake.

** Jashik **

As we wait for the systems to complete their searches, I realise the feline never gave her name. I look over to where she’s sitting, watching my partner and me work. I can’t think of a way to casually ask the familiar her name. The way she gave the information, as if she were giving a report; it was as if she didn’t view herself as a person. I don’t want to refer to her as cat or familiar, so I name her Ira, a Hebrew name that honours how watchful she is . Pratt sits at his desk, feet on the table, playing his music as he waits. Picking at some KFC and glancing up to check the monitors, he glances at Ira, noticing how she seems to sway to the music. 

‘Hey  Little Bit, want me to turn the music up?’ 

Ira startles, looking to me as the authority figure. I smile encouragingly at her. Turning to Pratt, she nods, hopping silently over, sniffing the food curiously before turning to the speaker, humming softly. Realising Ira is hungry, starving even if the visible ribs are  anything to go by, I fetch my lunch, containing non-seasoned chicken pieces, and set them in front of her encouragingly. She looks sceptical at first, but happily digs in. 

After she finishes, she focuses back on the music, dancing the way only a feline can. Noticing this, Pratt changes to a more upbeat song and starts singing along. She startles slightly, but when I join in, she starts bouncing around in time with the song and joins in singing the melody, even if she can’t pronounce the words. Soon the heavy atmosphere of the precinct alleviates as we all dance and sing. 

The ping of the search engine finding a match echoes through the precinct as we freeze, then crowd the computer.

‘Is this the witch?’ Pratt askes Ira as she reads the information beside the photo, tentatively nodding, ‘Miss Smith hasn’t been seen by anyone in the supernatural community in five years, but her bills and taxes are up to date. If that doesn’t scream suspicious, nothing does. Current address is in the Aroha gated community, so we’d need permission from the local police before we could search, but any information about where she might be would be helpful.’ 

While it hasn’t been stated that Ira was kept by the witch prior, it’s clear from the information given. Ira starts nodding, her paw on the keyboard before she freezes. Guessing what’s going through her head, Pratt is quick to reassure.

‘If she forcibly bound and held you prisoner, we can give you immunity for any crimes committed while under her command. We know that a familiar bond forces obedience. You won’t get into trouble for giving us her whereabouts.’ 

Ira seems surprised, weighing up her options before shaking herself and typing directions to the compound where she was kept.

** Ira **

The malicious familiar bond burns in its chest, the obedience spell scorching through its veins like white hot metal as it senses the disloyal actions. However, with no command about revealing information, it can’t prevent the actions, just cause excruciating pain to dissuade the familiar. What the witch never really grasped is when you punish with pain, giving no positive incentives to obey, pain becomes normal and the feline only ever wants to run. The feline pushes through the pain, maintaining a rigid control over its body. It’s making friends  here, and helping the kittens is essential. It isn’t going to the let the witch control it anymore.  _ What will this roll of the dice bring? _

** Jashik **

Address found, we’re off, Pratt and I in our hunting gear. Miss Smith is a Level 12 witch with mind manipulation, meaning Pratt can only be backup. His lack of shielding means he can’t directly engage the perp. My shields at equal strength will protect me as I search the compound, while Ira and Pratt stay in the van for backup. I silently walk up the driveway, pistol at the ready. 

‘Clear, from the road.’

‘Confirmed. Heading in now,’ I inform them as I retrieve my badge and walk forward to hold it up to the camera, announcing my presence so we don’t get caught up in political bull.

‘Detective Triggs LSPD executing a warrant to search your property. You have one minute to cooperate or I use force.’ 

No response. I store my badge and disable the spells on the property so I can enter. Kicking the door down with my gun at the ready, I sweep through the rooms.

‘Clear, heading down. Stay alert, she may attempt escape,’ I warn them as I descend to the basement. Kicking the door down, I find the kidnapped kittens in cages, but no Miss Smith. Searching the room,  it’s clear Miss Smith isn’t on the property. I free the kittens and radio their results. 

‘Clear. Kittens found. Miss Smith’s in the wind. Status report.’

I frown. It’s unusual for Pratt not to be prompt. His experience was with human police working as HRT where reports are vital.

‘Pratt, status report.’ Silence 

‘Goddamn it, William report.’ Silence. 

‘Sugar Honey Ice Tea!’ I curse before focusing. The kittens need to be evacuated before I can rescue Pratt and Ira.

* * *

** Ira **

Sitting in the car with the Brit is interesting. He has the music on quietly, knowing it will keep the feline calm while he focuses on the surveillance cameras. The feline sits on the passenger seat in the front, pawing at the dust particles highlighted by the sunshine, trying to make him smile, a sense of foreboding heavy in its stomach. Out of the corner of its eyes, the feline sees a small disk of light that it immediately has the urge to pounce on. It can see the watch on the detective’s wrist as he watches the feline out of the corner of his eye. Locking eyes with him, the feline slowly draws itself into a pounce, rocking its haunches softly as it very deliberately pounces on the reflection…only to overestimate the size of the car and face plant into the door. The feline lets out a meow of surprise, sitting up and shaking its head before glaring at the detective who is attempting poorly, to hold back laughter. Sniffing indignantly, the feline licks its paw, to smooth down its fur. It notices the reflection again. It freezes, looking at the detective, both daring each other to do it. 

They play like that for a few minutes before the detective suddenly freezes, his eyes glazing over as he starts the car. The feline knows the outcome before the Brit drives away, unable to resist the strength of the sadist’s mind control. The sadist isn’t going to miss an opportunity to regain her prized toy. All it can do is slide down the snake back to hell.

‘At least now there’s company,’ the witch replies cheerfully in its head, rage simmering below the surface.  _ What punishment will it be this time? Solitary confinement? Ooh branding’s always fun. How about waterboarding? _ Against all odds the feline likes both vaya, which is strange because it’s generally apathetic towards people, despising witches on principle. These detectives though, they have treated it like a friend, they have never demanded, never said cruel things. The feline would do anything to keep them safe. 

The scorching feeling skyrockets in intensity, as they approach the sadist’s new hideout. It loses all awareness of reality as the bond overwhelms it once more. Distantly it knows the feeling is worse, thanks to a year of withdrawal, but it can’t find it in its heart to regret the escape. Soon such philosophical thoughts are driven from its mind by the pain.

* * *

**Ira**

Slowly, a voice quenches the flames flowing like liquid through the feline’s veins, masculine with a distinct British accent singing softly. It takes a few minutes for the words to register, and by this point Pratt is singing  _ Talk to Me _ by Lauren Aquilina. 

‘ Game after game we play,  
our twisted snakes and ladders,    
time for the rules to change.’

Slowly, the lyrics guide the feline through the pain and it becomes fully aware of its surroundings.

‘All you need to do is talk to me.   
Why won’t you just talk to me?   
There’s a universe inside your head,    
Constellations of the things you left unsaid.’

Sitting up, the feline locks eyes with the Brit, conveying that his painfully obvious message is received and not appreciated. He just grins unrepentantly. As he finishes, the sadist enters, and spying the alert feline, smiles sadistically.

‘Finally with us, I see,’ she purrs with malicious glee. ‘Such a bad toy needs to be punished.’ 

She walks over, savouring the fear emanating from the feline. Sensing what’s about to happen, Pratt starts singing,  _ Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing _ by Set It Off, a defiant song.

‘Ha  ha ha , this is about you   
Beware, beware, be sceptical   
Of their smiles, their smiles of plated gold   
Deceit so natural   
But a wolf in sheep's clothing is more than a warning ’

‘Shift to humanoid form.’ 

Leaving no room to resist the order, the feline can feel the scorching of the obedience spell mixing with the magic, forcing the change. Seconds later, a young girl, not even 16, naked with silver cat’s ears and tail is lying in the place of the feline. The witch grins maliciously.

‘ So could you   
Tell me how you're sleeping easy   
How you're only thinking of yourself   
Show me how you justify   
Telling all your lies like second nature  
Listen, mark my words, one day   
You will pay   
Karma’s gonna come collect your debt’

‘Much better. Where shall I start?’ she ponders, tapping her lips thoughtfully. ‘Oh, I know, the detective. He won’t tell me if they have a means of finding me. Get the information from him.’ 

Body betraying it, the feline tries to subtly signal the detective to run. The familiar knows he could escape, but he just stands there, chained to the wall, looking at the familiar with forgiveness and acceptance clear in his gaze as his new song registers,  _ Brother _ by Kodaline.

‘ We’re living different lives   
Heaven only knows if we’ll make it back   
With all our fingers and our toes   
five years, 20 years, come back   
It will always be the same

If I was dying on my knees   
You would be the one to rescue me and   
If you were drowned at sea   
I would give you my lungs so you could breathe.’

An hour passes, Pratt just keeps singing, helping the familiar disassociate mentally as its body follows orders. 

* * *

**Ira**

After an unknown amount of time, the familiar resurfaces registering a change in tone. It looks the detective in the eyes as he glances behind it purposefully. Grinning and despite the blood covering him from neck to toe, Pratt relaxes, telling the familiar that they have been communicating and are about to be rescued. For once it smiles, bloody claws retracting and  falling to its side as the door bursts open and the sadist is neutralised. It stares at the body of its tormentor, revelling in the knowledge that it’s free. 

** Jashik **

As I burst into the room, I shoot Miss Smith with a tranquilizer. A young girl that he recognises  as Ira stares at the body of her abuser for a few seconds, relief clear on her face, before Pratt rattles his chains, gaining her attention. Ira tears the chains from Pratt’s wrists and ankles, moving to the small basin and cloth in the corner. Gently, she tends to his wounds, cleaning the blood and applying the antidote for the vaya poison that restricts Pratt’s healing powers. Pratt and Ira dress in the spare clothes I brought from the car. She seems unsure of how to dress herself, waiting for Pratt so she can copy him. 

We load into the car, Pratt and Ira in the back of my car while I drive. Ira curls up in Pratt’s lap, staring at me intently, her emotions overflowing with gratitude and trust. With my sensitivity to magic, I know that a tentative bond has forged between them. It would be a companion bond if Pratt had the power type that classified him as a witch, but as it is, she still has the fractured bond with Smith. I hope she’ll be okay when she leaves. The other kittens have been taken in by Aroha Academy so their bonds can be rehabilitated. How that will work for Ira I’m not sure, given her fear of females. I’m going to miss her and I know Pratt will as well, just by looking at the tender way the Brit strokes her hair. I focus back on the road sighing.  _ Roll the dice, who knows what comes next. _

* * *

** Ira **

Though she has only seen a ladder once, the feline can’t miss one this obvious.  _ All good things require effort, _ she thinks as she contemplates how to approach the lead detective for a companion bond. She can feel the possibilities with both Pratt and Triggs, but the lead detective has such a tight control over his magic that it can’t form without a push. While the feline is content to wait for Triggs to make the first move, wary of pushing where she’s unwelcome, she can sense Pratt’s growing despair over the prospect of the feline leaving. In order to make the Brit feel better, she will make the first move, reaching out, brushing against the witch’s magic, waiting for a response. Triggs locks eyes with the feline, curled up in cat form on the Brit’s lap as they wait for social services. After a clear nod from the feline, the three of them can feel the bonds slide into place, cool and refreshing, like coming home.  None of them knows what the next roll of dice will bring, but they know they will face it together.

**Author's Note:**

> If anyone noticed yes William Pratt was inspired by Spike, when I was writing the first version with more characters I was really into the Buffy series so Spike and Angel made a cameo, its not a direct copy, they are different characters with completely different backstories, I just added them as a little easter egg.
> 
> Reference list for the songs  
> Davies, A., Sanders, C., Boland, J., Maguire, J., May, V., Garrigan, S. and Prendergast, M. (2018). Brother. [Song] Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Spirit Music Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6TXPNybrmk [Accessed 1 Aug. 2019].
> 
> Goudie, D. and Aquilina, L. (2013). Talk to Me. [Song] Three Music Publishing Limited, BMG Rights Management (Uk) Ltd., BMG Rights Management (Uk) Limited, BDI MUSIC LTD. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aks4dVLqpwM [Accessed 25 Jul. 2019].
> 
> Ron, E., Carson, C., Clermont, D. and Paddock, B. (2014). Wolf in Sheep”s Clothing. [Song] Peermusic Publishing, BMG Rights Management. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwyAkd5oOG4 [Accessed 1 Aug. 2019].


End file.
